This invention relates to a cooking grid for use in cooking food items. More particularly, the invention relates to a multipurpose cooking grid which can support meat and vegetable items whether of large or small pieces and can be used on one side to support the large pieces and on the opposing side to support the smaller ones. The multipurpose cooking grid of this invention is especially suited for use in conjunction with a gas grill.
There are currently available various types of cooking grids for use in conjunction with barbecue gas grills. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,725 a cooking grid is disclosed for use with a gas grill having upstanding parallel elongated ribs with apertures in the trough-like bases between the ribs. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,440 there is disclosed a barbecue grill insert also having upstanding ribs and perforations therebetween to allow smoke to reach the food and allowing fat and grease from the food to drip down past the bars of the cooking grid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,281 shows grooves and openings for directing liquids from the cooking foods. U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,109 also shows a plurality of raised bars with a cover, and French patent 1,139,489 discloses a raised rib surface in a cooking grid with U-shaped troughs and apertures in the troughs. A grooved griddle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,726.
The prior art does not provide a dual purpose cooking grid which is especially adapted for cooking a variety of food items and is designed to be inverted.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a cooking grid which in a single structure can accommodate different food items of various sizes.
It is another advantage of this invention to provide a cooking rack which efficiently directs the juices and fats from the cooked items to and away from the heat source.
It is another advantage of this invention to provide a multipurpose cooking rack of the foregoing type which is useful in conjunction with a gas barbecue grill.
It is yet another advantage of the invention to provide a cooking rack of the foregoing type which can be easily manufactured without special tooling and in an economical manner.